Event

For exact dates contact us. Many of these events are following the Muslim calendar and therefore change date every year. Thank you.

TabuikPariaman February

One of the famous traditional events in West Sumatra is the Tabuik Festival. It is held every year during the first ten days of the Maharram month in Pariaman.

This event symbolizes a myth of Muhammad’s grandsons, Hasan and Hosen. They were involved in a conflict against Muawiyah bin Abi Syofyan and King Yazid who wished to snatch the hereditary rights of the Caliph from the two brother’s family. The conflict became a war where Hasan and Hosen were killed on the Carbella battlefield. The Tabuik is brought in a procession to the beach and then thrown into the sea as a symbol of “Buraq” (extraordinary vehicle of heaven) which brought Hasan and Hosen souls to heaven.

Tabuik

BasyafaPariaman March

On Wednesday in the second week of the Syafar month every year, thousands of pilgrims visit the grave of Syech Burhanuddin at Ulakan, a village 10 km south of Pariaman.
Seych Burhanuddi as a famous theologian and a forerunner of the Islam in West Sumatra in the 17e Century. The Pilgrims who come to that place are not only from villages of West Sumatra, but also from other Provinces in Indonesia and even from Malaysia.
Because there are so many pilgrims coming to the area, while there are a limited amount of houses available in the village to provide enough rooms to accommodate them all. There for it forces the visitors to lie down on mats on the ground and scattered every where in the yards, on the fields, in the bushes, on the beach and other possible places.
All night long they do several religious activities such as praying, the Holy Quran reading, playing and singing Islamic music and songs related to religious sphere.

basyafa

Anniversary of Padang cityPadang August

A big parade is hold to celebrate the anniversary of Padang. The participants decorate cars, trucks and other vehicles with beautiful decorations representing their institutions.
On this day is also held a traditional canoe race with canoes made from banana trees and a competition of climbing a Pinang tree. In the top of this Pinang Tree hang all kinds of gifts and the tree is covered with oil which made it slippery.
In the evening is a parade called Telong-telong. It is a lampion parade with all kinds of lampions with different sizes and shapes. It is a beautiful sight to see these lampions shining in the night. The Chinese community is also present with their famous performance called “Barongsai” the dragon dance.

Padang boatrace

Pagaruyung FestivalBatusankar July

The Pagaruyung Festival will feature arts and culture performances, traditional sport contest and other attractions. This event is held in Batusankar, the centre of Minangkabau Culture. Beside of becoming an attraction for tourist, the Pagaruyung Festival also serves to preserve the heritage of Minangkabau Culture.

Pagaruyung Festival

Idulfitri festivalPadang Panjang

Idulfitri is a festival to celebrate the end of Ramadan. All children get presents and every family gives a house party. In town there is a special event with dance performances, music, traditional art and other local traditions.

Potang BalimauPangkalan, Lima Puluh Kota, Septembre

Potang Balimau is an event that is celebrated by people in Pangkalan, between Payakumbuh and Pakanbaru, to welcome the holy month “Ramadan” on the last day before the Ramadan.
The event is held after the Zhuhur praying, in the Mahat river in front of “Meshid Raya Negeri Pangkalan” and includes: Kasidah Rebana competition, Pencak Silat demonstrations, Canoe race and Tire race, traditional art presentation. Then people apologize to each other because we want to enter the holy month Ramadan.
In the afternoon after the ceremony, everybody will go to their home and take a bath with special ingredients, witch as prepares and gathered by the girls from Pangkalan and it is called as Potang Balimau.

Potang Balimau

Saluang Jo Dendang festivalSolok Mai

Saluang is a wind instrument similar with a flute made from bamboo. This instrument is very popular in West Sumatra. Sulang sounds of sadness and identical with tears in generally on the words.
Present from the night until the early morning. It is a kind of entertainment witch gives a different taste of music show.

Saluang Festival

Mentawai traditional festivalMentawai islands August/ Septembre

The people of these islands still live in comparative isolation, maintaining their age-old ways. Siberut is well known for its untouched forest part of nature reserve inhabited by a number of animal species not found anywhere else. Beautiful coral reefs are found offshore. The native people are famous with tattoo. This is a festival that presents pure art and culture of Mentawai

Mentawai Festival

Maninjau lake festival Last 2 weeks of decembre

This event is held last week of december. It is a combination of many festivals and exhibitions, like the Minang Singer Festival, Modern and Traditional Minang Dance, Qasdah Rebana Festival, Nasyid Festival, Shalawat Dulang and Randai. Beside of that there is paragliding, an dragon boat race, art parade, tourist camp and wild dog hunting.